Posture brace garment



Filed June 24, 1963 l. I I II I I I II I I I I uh -l United States Patent 3,292,616 POSTURE BRACE GARMENT George F. Freeman, Sturgis, Mich., assiguor to Freeman Manufacturing Company, Sturgis, Mich., a corporation of Michigan Filed June 24, 1963, Ser. No. 289,813 4 Claims. (Cl. 128-78) The present invention relates to an improved posture brace garment, and, more particularly, to a garment of the corset type affording an improved dorsal and lumbar support which is highly eifective in the correction of severe postural defects, as well as in promoting recovery from fractures, in post-operative recovery cases, and the like.

It is an object of the invention to provide a dorsolumbar bracing and supporting garment of this type which can be worn comfortably whether sitting, standing or prone, since it conforms to the contours of the body.

More specifically, the provisions of the invention relate to a corset-like bracing garment incorporating shoulder engaging straps which, as pre-set for tension, automatically adjust themselves to the slope of the shoulders, thus to afford a most comfortable position for the wearer at all times, or to cause the straps to assume whatever position the doctor wishes them to for corrective or recovery treatment.

More specifically, the invention provides a garment including a snugly fitting body encircling member having provisions for the adjustment of the same for the snug body fit, together with elongated shoulder engaging straps of an improved character, the action of which is to pull the shoulders back and tend to hold the entire spinal column in a desired erect position.

Further in accordance with the invention, the shoulder straps in question have a releasable and adjustable anchoring connection to the body encircling garment member, preferably adjacent the forward hip and groin-engaging zones of the latter, from which they extend in crossing relationship to one another about the rear of the garment member, thence upwardly and forwardly beneath the wearers shoulders, thence 'backwardly to a connection through improved means to the rear part of the garment member.

Such rear connection may be of two optional types, but in either instance they, like the forward connections of the straps, :are releasable ones, enabling the straps to be readily detached from the garment when desired, for laundering, with other similar strap means being substituted temporarily.

Yet another object of the invention, in an improved embodiment thereof, employs a single unit flexibly connected between the straps to anchor the same to the rear central portion of the garment member. In this embodiment, an anchoring tape element is rigidly secured to the center of the garment rear zone, and a single connector of flexible and resilient material bridges the rear ends of the respective straps. This connector thus affords a loop which slidably and releasably engages .a clip device mounted on the anchoring tape to complete the self adjusting type of strap anchoring arrangement contemplated by the invention.

Since the flexible and resilient connector in question may slide freely relative to the rear anchor means, either strap may automatically adjust the slope of the shoulder,

for improved comfort to the wearer, while still causing the shoulders to assume an erect position desired by the doctor.

In another alternative embodiment, while the connections of the straps to the forward portion of the body encircling member of the garment are similar in structure 3,292,616 Patented Dec. 20, 1966 See to that described above, the resilient straps are individually connected separately to the rear portion of the garment member for a desired degree of self-compensating action, and also :by releasable anchoring provisions such as will enable their ready detachment for laundering and/ or replacement.

Yet another object is to provide a garment as described, in which each strap has provision to adjust its individual length, and thus not only to fit the same to the individual wearer, but also to enable a ready variation of the pull exerted on the wearers shoulders.

The foregoing as well as other objects will become more apparent as this description proceeds, especially when considered in connection with the accompanying drawing illustrating the invention, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary rear perspective view showing a preferred embodiment of the improved garment, as worn;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary enlarged scale front elevational view of a portion of the garment, showing provisions for releasably attaching each of its two shoulder straps to a forward Zone of the garments body encircling member;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary rear elevational view showing details of the strap and releasable anchoring provisions according to the preferred embodiment; and

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3, illustrating an alternative embodiment, featuring separate, individually releasable anchoring provisions for shoulder straps.

First referring to FIGS. 1 and 2 of the drawing, the improved garment, in a preferred version thereof, is generally designated by the reference numeral 10. It comprises a body of torso encircling member 11, including a rear panel portion 12 of a sturdy canvas fabric, reinforced by a pair of longitudinally and vertically extending, specially tempered flexible stays S which are removably received in elongated pockets 13 of the rear panel 12, in a known manner, which stays parallel the wearers spine. The sides of rear panel 12 are connected to forward panel components 14 (see FIG. 2) by means of tape and buckle-adjustable, laced side connections of a known type, generally designated 15. These span fle'xible filler panels 16 stitched to the respective rear and forward panels 11, 14.

The forward panel elements 14' are (FIG. 2) each further equipped with adjustable tape and buckle type anchors, generally designated 17, for the shoulder straps of the garment 10, as will be described.

Now referring to FIG. 3 in conjunction with FIG. 1, the shoulder engaging straps of the garment are each generally designated by the reference numeral 20, being substantially identical in structure. Each comprises an elongated length of substantially inelastic knit tubing 21 (for comfort in engaging the wearers shoulders), which tubing passes upwardly and forwardly from an anchor (to be described) on the rear panel 12, then forwardly and downwardly about the wearers shoulder and beneath his arm pit to a connection at 22 to a further elongated strap element 23 of flexible but inelastic tape. Said tapes 23 are disposed in crossing relation to one another at the center of and well beneath the top of rear panel 12, and may be passed through a guide and restraining loop 24 on the panel.

Strap or tape elements then pass forwardly and downwardly about the hip zones of the wearer, at which they are each adjustably joined by a buckle 25 to an inelastic forward tape element 26 of its forward anchor 17. As

. shown in FIG. 2 the elements 26 are appropriately seamed 3 sired degree of adjustment in the convenient forward zones.

As illustrated in FIG. 3, each length of shoulder engaging tubing 21 of the straps 20 is connected at its rear with an inelastic tab length 31 having marginal binding at 32; and each tab 31 is in turn stitched at its other extremity to an end of a single elastic connector 33. This connector thus in effect resiliently joins the ends of the straps 20 with one another. e

The rear anchoring provisions of the preferred embodiment are completed by a short length of strong webbing 34 stitched to the central rear zone of panel 12 some distance beneath its top. This webbing afiords an upper loop 35 receiving one arm of a known type of releasable, open clip connector 36, the other arm of which engages in a loop constituted by the elastic connector 33, as the latter bridges the inelastic tabs 31 in the manner shown in FIG. 3.

Thus, it is seen that the releasable connections at clip 36 and the forward adjusting strap buckle 25 enable the strap structure comprised of the shoulder engaging members 21, the strap lengths 23, the tabs 31. and the elastic connector 33 to be readily and easily detached from the body. encircling member 11 of the garment, for laundering and/ or replacement, since these strap means are the only parts which tend to become soiled periodically.

The single sliding connection at elastic member 33 and clip 36 enables the strap construction to conform readily to bending and other movements of the wearer, and the provisions for adjusting the tension of the respective straps enables the same to take any relative shoulder engaging and restraining position which the doctor may desire the same to assume. Needless to say, the garment, due to its solid and reinforced rear construction enables a degree of immobilization of the wearer such as is desired, and in accordance with anyspecific supportive or conservative prescription for the purpose. Yet wearer comfort is preserved to the maximum degree consistent with these ends.

An alternative embodiment of the invention, in a garment generally designated 38, is illustrated in FIG.. 4 of the drawings. Here, the structure of the body encircling garment member and the individual shoulder bracing straps is substantially identical to that described in connection with FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, sothat for simplicity corresponding parts and realtionships are designated by corresponding reference numerals, primed, and repetition of description is omitted.

The only difference is that in the embodiment OfFIG. 4 the straps 20', as connected to the forward part of garment member 11 in the mannerdescribed above, are individually connected to the rear panel or part 12 at separate connections, generally designated 39. These extend vertically downwardly at opposite sides of the center line of rear panel 12', along the lumbar bones of the wearer; The same advantages of ready releasability for laundering and the like, and of individually yieldable rear anchoring connections to the individual looped tape connectors, here specially designated 40, are had, along with other advantages due to structural features of the garment such as have been shown and described in its first embodiment.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. A posture brace garment to support the shoulders and dorsal-lumbar region of a wearer, comprising a main body-encircling garment member having means to adjust the same for snug fitting engagement with the wearers torso, said member including a rear portion and portions adapted to pass from said rear portion about side and forward hip and groin zones of the wearer, a pair of non-elastic shoulder engaging bands each having means providing a releasable connection of one end of the same to one of said last named portions of the garment member adjacent a side and forward hip and groin zone, said bands each being of a length and being arranged relative to said garment member to extend from its said side and forward connection rearwardly and upwardly about the rear portion of said garment member, beneath the armpit and upwardly about the shoulder of the wearer, and means flexibly and resiliently anchoring said non-elastic bands to said rear portion, comprising elastic connector means secured to ends of said bands opposite the first named ends thereof, means secured to said rear portion of said garment member to anchor the last named endsof said bands in that zone, and means providing a releasable connection of said elastic connector means to said last named anchoring means, said forward and rear releasable connections enabling the complete detachment of said bands and connector means from said garment member.

2. The garment of claim 1, in which said means flexibly and resiliently anchoring said band comprises an elastic connector secured at its opposite ends to the ends of said bands opposite said first named ends thereof, said elastic connector releasably engaging said last named anchoring means.

3. The garment of claim 1, in which said means flexibly and resiliently anchoring said band comprises a pair of elastic connectors each secured to an end of said band opposite the first named end thereof, said elastic connectors releasably engaging said last named anchoring means.

4. A posture brace garment to support the shoulders and dorsal-lumbar region of a wearer, comprising a main body-encircling garment member having means to adjust the same for snug fitting engagement with the wearers torso, said member including a rear portion and portions adapted to pass from said rear portion about side and forward hip and groin zones of the wearer, a pair of non elastic shoulder engaging bands each having means providing a releasable connection of the same to one of said last named portions of the garment member adjacent a side and forward hip and groin zone, said bands each being of a length and being arranged relative to said garment member to extend from its said side and forward .onnection rearwardly and upwardly about the rear por- -ion of said garment member, beneath the armpit and up- I wardly about the shoulder of the wearer, and means flexibly and resiliently anchoring said non-elastic bands to said rear portion, comprising an elastic connector secured at opposite ends to ends of said bands, means secured to said rear portion of said garment member to anchor said bands in that zone, and means providing a releasable connection of said elastic connector to said last named anchoring means, said forward and rear releasable connections enabling the complete detachment of said bands and connector from said garment member, said last named anchoring means including a member secured to said rear portion centrally of the latter.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 245,524 8/1881 Lubin 245 945,359 1/1910 Adams 12878 1,209,601 12/1916 Loring 128426 2,001,505 5/193 5 Schottenfels 128451 2,586,658 2/1952 Hormann 128520 FOREIGN PATENTS 405,261 12/ 1909 France.

577,987 6/ 1924 France.

256,411 2/1913 Germany.

RICHARD A. GAUDET, Primary Examiner. J. W. HINEY, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A POSTURE BRACE GARMENT TO SUPPORT THE SHOULDERS AND DORSAL-LUMBAR REGION OF A WEARER, COMPRISING A MAIN BODY-ENCIRCLING GARMENT MEMBER HAVING MEANS TO ADJUST THE SAME FOR SNUG FITTING ENGAGEMENT WITH THE WEARER''S TORSO, SAID MEMBER INCLUDING A REAR PORTION AND PORTIONS ADAPTED TO PASS FROM SAID REAR PORTION ABOUT SIDE AND FORWARD HIP AND GROIN ZONES OF THE WEARER, A PAIR OF NON-ELASTIC SHOULDER ENGAGING BANDS EACH HAVING MEANS PROVIDING A RELEASABLE CONNECTION OF ONE END OF THE SAME TO ONE OF SAID LAST NAMED PORTION OF THE GARMENT MEMBER ADJACENT A SIDE AND FORWARD HIP AND GROIN ZONE, SAID BANDS EACH BEING OF A LENGTH AND BEING ARRANGED RELATIVE TO SAID GARMENT MEMBER TO EXTEND FROM ITS SAID SIDE AND FORWARD CONNECTION REARWARDLY AND UPWARDLY ABOUT THE REAR PORTION OF SAID GARMENT MEMBER, BENEATH THE ARMPIT AND UPWARDLY ABOUT THE SHOULDER OF THE WEARER, AND MEANS FLEXIBLY AND RESILIENTLY ANCHORING SAID NON-ELASTIC BANDS TO SAID REAR PORTION, COMPRISING ELASTIC CONNECTOR MEANS SECURED TO ENDS OF SAID BANDS OPPOSITE THE FIRST NAMED ENDS THEREOF, MEANS SECURED TO SAID REAR PORTION OF SAID GARMENT MEMBER TO ANCHOR THE LAST NAMED ENDS OF SAID BANDS IN THE ZONE, AND MEANS PROVIDING A RELEASABLE CONNECTION OF SAID ELASTIC CONNECTOR MEANS TO SAID LAST NAMED ANCHORING MEANS, SAID FORWARD AND REAR RELEASABLE CONNECTIONS ENABLING THE COMPLETE DETACHMENT OF SAID BANDS AND CONNECTORS MEANS FROM SAID GARMENT MEMBER. 